Parasol type shelter



June 18 1968 w. H. TAYLOR PARASOL TYPE SHELTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 14, 1967 INVENTOR WILLARD H. TAYLOR.

ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1968 w. H. TAYLOR 3,388,712

PARASOL TYPE SHELTER Filed April 14, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. WILLARD H. TAYLOR.

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,388,712 PARASOL TYPE SHELTER Willard H. Taylor, Gloversville, N.Y., assignor to N. A. Taylor Co. Inc., Gloversville, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 630,913 2 Claims. (Cl. 135-2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cover of sheet material overlies a supporting ridge pole and consists of inclined side panels having side edges converging upwardly throughout the major portion of their length and merging with side edges diverging outwardly to the ends of the ridge pole. End panels of trapezoidal form are fixed throughout the major portion of their side edges to the converging side edges of the side panels. The upper portion of each end panel extends upwardly between the side panels and is yieldingly maintained in coplanar relation with the remainder of the end panels by a resilient member, such as a spring.

Backgrownd of the invention The invention has to do with collapsible shelters of the parasol type. Such shelters are used as sunshades adjacent swimming pools and other similar recreational areas. They are usually of circular form and not of substantial dimension due to the fact that they are mounted on a single column, or pole, and are subject to force of great magnitude by high velocity winds.

Brief summary of the invention:

The shelter of this invention is in general of gable roof arrangement having upwardly inclined side roof panels supported by a ridge pole, and upwardly inclined end roof panels of trapezoidal form. The arrangement is such that the upper side edges of the side panels form an overhang at each end of the ridge pole overlying the upper ends of the end panels which terminate in downwardly spaced relation to the ridge pole. The upper end portion of each end panel extends upwardly between the side panels and is maintained in coplanar relation to the remainder of the end panel by a resilient member, such as a spring, whereby a vent opening is formed at each end of the roof structure, which opening is increased in dimension by wind pressure.

Brief description of drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a shelter embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged lengthwise sectional view of the end portions of the ridge structure.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view taken on line 3- 3, FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of one of the cover supporting arms.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the frame structure shown in erected position.

Detailed description The shelter consists of a cover formed of sheet material, such as fabric, supported by a framework which imparts a rectangular configuration to the lower edge of the cover formation.

Referring to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the framework consists of a central column 10, the lower end of which may be removably inserted in a sleeve 11 embedded in the ground, or it may be formed with a flange fastened to a patio floor. -A tubular ridge pole 12 is fixedly secured ICC in a trough-piece \1B which, in turn, is fixedly secured to the upper end of the column 10 and extends diametrically thereof. The member 13 is fixed to the upper end of the column and the ridge pole '12 is fixedly secured in the trough member '13.

A collar 15 is slidably mounted on the column I10. Arms 17, 18, are pivotally mounted at their inner ends to the collar 15 and extend radially from the column 10 in diametrical arrangement. A similar pair of arms 19, 20, are spaced from the arms :17, 18. The arms 17, 18, engage the lower edges of end panels 21, 22, at the center portions thereof. The outer ends of the arms 19, 20, engage the lower edges of side panels 23, 24, at the center portions thereof.

The side panels 23, 24, of the roof cover incline upwardly to the ridge pole 12. The end panels are of trapezoidal formation having lower edges 27 and upper edges 28.

There are four similarly arranged arms 30, 3-1, 32, 33, the outer ends of which engage the covers of the roof formation. The arm structure is such as to impart a rectangular configuration to the lower edges of the panels 21- 24, see FIGURE 1. The lower edges of the panels are provided with grommets 37. Each of the arms is provided at its outer end with a bushing 40, in which is slidably mounted a stem 41, see FIGURE 4. The outer portion of each stem is threaded to receive nuts 43, 45. A helical compression spring 46 is mounted on each stem 41 intermediate the outer end of the bushings 40 and the nuts 45. The outer threaded end of each stem extends through the grommets 37 and is positioned against the nut 43. By adjusting the nuts 43, 45, on the stems 41, outward pressure of desired force is exerted on the lower edges of the roof cover.

The arms 17-20 and 30-33 are connected to an upper collar 53 fixedly secured to the column, the connection being by Way of braces 54 having pivotal connection at one end to the upper collar 53 and at their opposite ends to the respective arms.

When the shelter is in erected position, the collar '15 is moved upwardly on the column 10 against the stop 55 which is located in a plane slightly above the plane of the lower edge of the cover. The arrangement forms a selflocking toggle to maintain the shelter in erected position, as will be apparent and well understood in parasol structures of this nature. When the collar '15 is moved downwardly to the position shown in dotted outline at 60, the shelter is moved to collapsed position. The structure at the ends of the arms, as shown in FIGURE 4, serves to yieldingly hold the lower edge of the roof covering in proper expanded form.

The side edges 63 of the side panels 23, 24, converge upwardly throughout the major portions of their length. These converging side edges 63 merge with diverging edge portions 65, which terminate at the ridge pole 12, see FIGURE 1. The end panels 21, 22, are fixedly secured along their side edges to the converging edges 63 of the side panels. The end panels 21, 22, extend upwardly beyond the joinder 67 between the edges 63, 65, between the panels 23, 24, the upper edges 28 of the extending portion 70 terminating in downwardly spaced relation from the ridge pole 12. Affixed to the upper edges 28 of the extending portion 70 is a spring 73, the opposite end of which is affixed to the ridge pole 12. The springs 73 serve to maintain the upper portion 70 of the panels 21, 22, in substantially coplanar relation to the main portion of those panels. This arrangement provides a venting space between the ridge pole 12 and the upper edges 28 of the extending portion 70. The overhanging gable ends formed by the diverging edges 65 of the side panels, in conjunction with the upwardly extending portions 70 of the end panels, provide substantially weather proof vents.

Upon the application of wind pressure against the panels 21, 22, and accordingly against the extending portion '70 thereof, the portion 70 will move in a downward direction, as indicated in dotted outline at 80, FIGURE 2, thus providing a larger vent area. The air movement through one vent is directed against the under side of the ridge portion of the roof covering and deflected downwardly toward the opposite end of the ridge, tending to move the portion 70 at the opposite end of the ridge downwardly to provide for the escape of the moving air. All of this results in allowing the moving air to circulate freely under the roof cover and equalizing the pressures which tend to lift the shade. Because of the fact that the lift is so reduced, large shades can be fabricated with relative light framework supporting construction so that a person can conveniently raise, or lower, the shade of substantial dimension with ease.

What I claim is:

1. A collapsible shelter comprising a frame including a vertically disposed column and a horizontally disposed ridge pole affixed to the top of said column, a cover of sheet material extending over said ridge pole, said cover comprising a pair of complcmental side panels including upwardly to said ridge pole, and a pair of complemental end panels having side edges converging upwardly toward the ends of said ridge pole, the major portion of each side edge of each of said side panels converging upwardly and merging with a diverging edge portion terminating at one end of said ridge pole, the side edges of said end panels being fixed to said converging side edge portions of said side panels, the upper portions of said end panels extending upwardly between said side panels and being unconnected thereto and terminating in downwardly spaced relation to said ridge pole, and a resilient tension member secured to the upper portion of each end panel and to said ridge pole, said frame also including substantially horizontally disposed members extending from said column and engaging the lower edges of said side and end panels and maintaining the same in rectangular form.

2. A collapsible shelter as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient tension members are operable to hold the upper portions of said end panels in coplanar relation with the remainder of said end panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 192,489 6/1877 Descomtes 13510 1,520,569 12/1924 Emerson 135-10 2,069,479 2/1937 Pluth 135l 2,743,734 5/1956 Terrell et al7 135-1 3,043,320 7/1962 Moss 1351 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. PETER M. CAUN, Examiner. 

